Centre for Human Ecology

The Centre for Human Ecology is a social and ecological justice focused non governmental organisation. According to its own website, it is 'an independent, engaged think-tank. We work with people at the sharp end of ecological and social action to effect practical change and develop new thinking that influences local, national and international policy and practice for ecological sustainability and social justice.'

History
The Centre was set up in 1972. One of its pioneers was Conrad Waddington whose papers on the Centre are held in the library at Edinburgh University here. 'Waddington was a founding member of the Club of Rome, commissioners of the influential 1972 Limits to Growth study that brought global environmental concerns to the world political stage.'

Role at Edinburgh University
The CHE used to be housed in the University of Edinburgh but was shut down in 1996. According to the writer George Monbiot this was because:


 * In 1996, Edinburgh University's Centre for Human Ecology was working on ... the political factors leading to environmental destruction and the links between social exclusion and resource depletion. The University didn't like this at all, principally, it seems, because some of its funders were very uncomfortable with the Centre's findings. Within the same fortnight that it decided that Christopher Brand, the so-called 'scientific racist', should stay on, the University shut down the Centre for Human Ecology.

According to the CHE's own account:


 * CHE was closed by the Edinburgh University in 1996 following a long campaign to save it during which CHE was supported by a wide range of internationally recognised figures. It was then re-established by former students and supporters as an independent organisation and became an accredited institution of the Open University in 1999.

People

 * Osbert Lancaster was Executive Director until Feb 2008
 * Vérène Nicolas MSc Coordinator
 * Jennifer Batty EcoProjects Manager
 * Alastair McIntosh, Visiting professor of Human ecology at the University of Strathclyde (Wikipedia page on Alastair McIntosh)